There were three claimants for the English
crown, and both kings felt the necessity of having their hands free to meet
the Normans. Harold of Norway may well have believed that his host of tried
warriors was capable of disposing of an army that, save for its small body
of regular troops, was wholly unused to war; therefore, he held his array
immovable while the English army crossed the bridge and formed up for
battle.
Steadily and firmly the solid line of the housecarls moved up the assent,
and then as Harold's trumpet gave the signal of attack, flung themselves
upon the shield-wall of the Norsemen. The conflict was a terrible one. The
heavy two-handed axes of the English clashed against the long two-handed
swords of the Norsemen. Against such terrible weapons wielded by such
powerful arms, helmet and hauberk afforded but a poor defence. Casques and
the heads beneath them were cleft like egg-shells under the terrible blows;
but the gaps thus made in the ranks were at once filled from behind, and
for hours the struggle continued with unabated vigour on both sides. Harold
himself with a body of his thanes fought in the front line, his position
marked to his followers by his standard kept flying close behind him. His
great strength and height made him so formidable an assailant that his
standard generally flew well in advance of his fighting line, while on the
other side the still greater height and strength of the King of Norway
rendered him equally conspicuous.
Pages:
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404